1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to handle assemblies for securely gripping containers. In particular, the invention relates to handle assemblies adapted to securely grip fryer baskets in order to remove them from and replace them to fryer vats.
2. Description of Related Art
In commercial and some residential kitchens, fryers such as deep fat fryers, may be used to cook food products. For example, deep fat fryers, or gas fryers, are commercially used by restaurants, institutional kitchens, and fast food establishments for cooking a variety of food products, such as French fries, fish, fried chicken, and the like. Food products are cooked by immersing them within a fryer vat that is filled with a heated, liquid cooking medium, such as melted shortening, vegetable oil, or the like. The cooking medium may be heated using a flow of heated gas that is forced or drawn through flow passages that are in thermal communication with wall portions of the fryer vat or are disposed within the vat itself in order to increase the heat transfer to the cooking medium. Other fryers may employ electric coils to melt a solid cooking medium, heat the cooking medium to a desired cooking temperature, and maintain the cooking medium at the desired temperature during the cooking cycle.
Food products may be placed in a container, e.g., a basket, before being placed in the fryer vat and lowered into the heated, liquid cooking medium. While cooking, the food products may absorb some of the cooking medium, this may increase the weight of the container to be removed from the fryer vat. Moreover, it may be desirable to shake the container over the fryer vat after removing it from the cooking medium to remove residual cooking medium from the surfaces of the containers or from the surface of the food products, or both. In order to lower the container into the cooking medium and remove the container from the cooking medium after the food products are cooked, the container may be equipped with a handle.
If permanently affixed to the container, the temperature of the handle may increase as the food products cooks. Because the temperature of the cooking medium may exceed 250xc2x0 F. (121xc2x0 C.), the handle may become too hot to grasp without an oven mitt or other hand protection. Further, because the cooking medium may splash, splatter, or spray while the food products cook, the handle may become coated with a layer of the cooking medium and may become difficult to grasp.
Removable handles may avoid the heating problem experienced with some permanent handles. However, removable handles may be unable to securely grasp the container, especially after the container""s surfaces have been coated by splashes, spray, and splatter from the cooking medium. This problem may be exacerbated by the added weight of the cooked food product or by the need to shake residual cooking medium from the surfaces of the container and from the surface of the food products, or both. For example, in a known removable handle assembly, the handle is equipped with an outwardly curled lip at one end. A scabbard for receiving the handle is secured to the container, and the scabbard is equipped with an internal projection for engaging the handle""s curled lip. However, if the handle is shaken, the curled lip may disengage from the scabbard projection.
A need has arisen for a handle assembly, which may securely grip a container, such as a fryer basket. It is a feature of this handle assembly that a handle may engage and release the container. In particular, the handle may used to place the fryer basket into a fryer vat. The handle then may be disengaged from the fryer basket while food products are cooked within the basket. It is an advantage of this handle assembly that the handle of the assembly may remain cool while food products within the basket is cooked and the basket itself is heated in the fryer vat. It is a further advantage that because the handle of this handle assembly may be disengaged from the basket, the handle is not splattered with a hot cooking medium, e.g., shortening or vegetable oil, or the like, while the food products are cooked in the fryer vat.
In an embodiment, the invention is a gripping handle assembly for securely lifting a container. The assembly comprises a handle comprising a first portion and a second portion, formed at a predetermined angle to the first portion. The second portion comprises a first and a second face and a slot formed therethrough. A grasping arm is pivotally attached to the second face of the second portion, and a release arm is pivotally attached to the first face of the second portion. A grasping arm control rod passes through the slot and operably couples the grasping arm to the release arm, and urging means pivots an end of the grasping lever away from the second face. The assembly further comprises a scabbard, which receives the second portion of the handle and is secured to the container. The scabbard comprising a recess, wherein the grasping arm engages the recess to secure the handle to the scabbard.
In another embodiment, the invention is a gripping handle assembly for securely lifting a fryer basket. The assembly comprises a handle comprising a first portion including a grip and a second portion, formed at an oblique angle to the first portion. The second portion comprises a first and a second face, a grasping lip formed at a lower edge of the second portion and curling outward from the first face, a slot formed therethrough, a first pivot connection formed on the first face and positioned above the slot, and a second pivot connection formed on the second face and positioned below the slot. A grasping arm including a grasping hook, is pivotally attached to the second pivot connection, a release arm is pivotally attached to the first pivot connection. A grasping arm control rod passes through the slot and operably couples the grasping arm to the release arm. The control rod may be integrally formed with the grasping arm. Alternatively, the control rod may be integrally formed with the release arm. Urging means (e.g., a spring, a pair of opposing magnets, an elastic compound, and the like) pivots an end of the grasping arm away from the second face. The assembly further comprises a scabbard, which receives the second portion of the handle and is secured to the fryer basket. The scabbard comprises a projection for engaging the grasping lip and a recess, wherein the grasping arm engages the recess to secure the handle to the scabbard.
The first face of the second portion of the handle may be concave, and the second face of the second portion of the handle may be convex. Alternatively, the second portion of the handle may have a V-shaped cross-section.
Other objects, features, and advantages will be understood by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, in view of the accompanying figures.